Tools are used for servicing and calibrating wire feeders and welding travel devices. A basic measurement that is performed when servicing wire feeders is that of measuring the wire feed speed. Measurement of wire feed speed can be performed using a traditional rpm (revolutions per minute) meter by placing the rpm meter on a rotating component and performing a calculation to convert expected wire feed speed to rpm. Some possible causes of incorrect or unexpected wire feed speed may include encoder/tachometer failure, worn brushes or commutator in a motor, stripped gears in a gearbox, wrong auxiliary gear installed, wrong gear selection set through software, and worn drive rollers. Furthermore, in certain welding applications, it is critical to have correct heat input to the weld. One of the factors that affects heat input is the travel speed of the device (e.g., a travel carriage) doing the welding. Simple and accurate measurement of wire feed speed and/or travel speed are highly desirable to allow for accurate and efficient calibration adjustments to be made and/or to help identify bad or worn components.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional, traditional, and proposed approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems and methods with embodiments of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.